Wisconsin higher education institutions on all levels have a responsibility to protect every student's rights regardless of the circumstances. This duty, however, isn't always honored, as some students slip through the cracks and are denied due process. Thousands of cases are filed by students every year alleging unlawful discrimination and the deprivation of their rights within disciplinary procedures.
This phenomenon is unsurprisingly prevalent in cases involving sexual misconduct. Respondent students especially report being treated unfairly during Title IX processes. Fortunately, students in this predicament have options to rectify their school's wrongdoing. One of these options is to file a complaint with the Office for Civil Rights (OCR).
What is an OCR Complaint?
Students who wish to hold their school accountable can contact the Office for Civil Rights and make a claim. The OCR is a government agency that investigates schools when students suspect that they've been denied equal access to education through the denial of their rights. If unlawful treatment is proven in a student's case, the OCR will enforce their rights and hold the institution accountable.
Why You Need an Attorney
To make sure you file successfully and you get results, it pays to have an experienced attorney to guide you through the process. Here are a few perks of getting legal help.
They can help you choose the right way to file. There are two ways students can file a complaint with the OCR. You can file by using a template or by writing your own letter. Your attorney can use their discretion based on the facts of your case to decide which alternative is best.
They will stay on top of deadlines. The OCR would prefer a complaint be filed within 180 days of the act of discrimination. But if you miss this deadline, there may be an opportunity to file with a waiver. An attorney can help you request what you need to get your claim submitted.
They can file for you. The ultimate advantage of hiring an attorney is that they can do all the legwork for you. Because they're an attorney, they can file on your behalf with no issues.
Contact the Lento Law Firm Today
If you've decided to file a complaint with the OCR in Wisconsin, let an attorney help you through the process. Attorney Joseph D. Lento has the skills and expertise to help you preserve your rights under Title IX and your school's policy. Contact him online or give him a call at 888-535-3686.
Wisconsin colleges and universities where Joseph D. Lento can help you or your student file a Title IX complaint with the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights include, but are not limited to, the following schools:
- Alverno College
- The Art Institute of Wisconsin
- Bellin College
- Beloit College
- Blackhawk Technical College
- Bryant and Stratton College Glendale
- Bryant and Stratton College Milwaukee
- Bryant and Stratton College Wauwatosa
- Cardinal Stritch University
- Carroll University
- Carthage College
- Chippewa Valley Technical College
- College of Menominee Nation
- Concordia University Wisconsin
- DeVry University Wisconsin
- Edgewood College
- Fox Valley Technical College
- Gateway Technical College
- Globe University Appleton
- Globe University Eau Claire
- Globe University Green Bay
- Globe University La Crosse
- Globe University Madison East
- Globe University Madison West
- Globe University Wausau
- Herzing University Brookfield
- Herzing University Kenosha
- Herzing University Madison
- ITT Technical Institute Green Bay
- ITT Technical Institute Greenfield
- ITT Technical Institute Madison
- Lac Courte Oreilles Ojibwa Community College
- Lakeland College
- Lakeshore Technical College
- Lawrence University
- Madison Area Technical College
- Madison Media Institute
- Maranatha Baptist Bible College
- Marian University
- Marquette University
- Mid State Technical College
- Milwaukee Area Technical College
- Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design
- Milwaukee School of Engineering
- Moraine Park Technical College
- Mount Mary College
- Nicolet Area Technical College
- Northcentral Technical College
- Northeast Wisconsin Technical College
- Northland College
- Northland International University
- Ripon College
- Saint Norbert College
- Sanford Brown College West Allis
- Silver Lake College of the Holy Family
- Southwest Wisconsin Technical College
- University of Phoenix Madison Campus
- University of Phoenix Milwaukee Campus
- University of Wisconsin Colleges
- University of Wisconsin Eau Claire
- University of Wisconsin Green Bay
- University of Wisconsin La Crosse
- University of Wisconsin Madison
- University of Wisconsin Milwaukee
- University of Wisconsin Oshkosh
- University of Wisconsin Parkside
- University of Wisconsin Platteville
- University of Wisconsin River Falls
- University of Wisconsin Stevens Point
- University of Wisconsin Stout
- University of Wisconsin Superior
- University of Wisconsin Whitewater
- Viterbo University
- Waukesha County Technical College
- Western Technical College
- Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College
- Wisconsin Lutheran College
Students and parents at times do not realize until after a finding of responsibility and the imposition of adverse sanctions that sexual misconduct allegations at college can result in severe consequences academically and professionally and in the short and long-term. The earlier the necessary steps are taken to address a Title IX case, the better, because these are cases that can be won at the school-level. There are times, however, that the help of the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (DOE-OCR) is needed and Joseph D. Lento has a decade of experience passionately fighting for the futures of his clients at colleges and universities throughout the nation and has helped many clients seek recourse with the DOE-OCR. He does not settle for the easiest outcome, and instead prioritizes his clients' needs and well-being. Joseph Lento is a licensed attorney in New Jersey and New York who helps students in Wisconsin with DOE-OCR Title IX complaints, is admitted as an attorney pro hac vice in state and federal court if needed when representing clients nationwide, and serves as a Title IX advisor to students facing disciplinary case in Wisconsin and throughout the nation. Make certain your or your student's interests are protected - Contact National Title IX attorney Joseph D. Lento today.
